1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to sheet feed devices which comprise a sheet tray configured to receive a plurality of sheets, a feed roller configured to move with respect to the sheet tray, and an inclined separation plate which cooperates with the feed roller to feed an uppermost sheet from the sheet tray toward a recording unit. The invention also relates to image recording apparatus which comprise such a sheet feed device.
2. Description of Related Art
A known sheet feed device is used in a known image recording apparatus, such as a printer or a facsimile device, or both. The known sheet feed device comprises a sheet tray configured to receive a plurality of sheets therein and a feed roller configured to move with respect to the sheet tray and feed the sheets from the sheet tray toward a recording unit. The sheet tray comprises a single side guide or a pair of side guides configured to move in a sheet widthwise direction and guide sides edges of sheets stacked in the sheet tray. A linear mark, which is parallel to an upper surface of the stacked sheets, is engraved or printed on an inner side surface of the single side guide or one of the pair of side guides, or on an inner side surface of one of side walls of the sheet tray which extend along side edges of the stacked sheets. The linear mark is used to restrict a maximum permissible load of sheets in the sheet tray.
However, when the sheet tray is configured to be detachably inserted into the image recording apparatus while the extending direction of the side walls of the sheet tray is parallel to the inserting direction, the linear mark may be difficult to be seen when viewed in the inserting direction. This may cause stacking of sheets in the sheet tray beyond the linear mark, which may result in an idle rotation of the feed roller, misfeeding of sheets, or paper jamming.